A standard type of heavy-duty, metal, industrial shelving is constituted by vertical supports (200 in FIG. 2) which hold the horizontal supports (110 in FIG. 2) that are used to support the vertical shelving. The upper vertical supports are usually secured to a wall or other stable, supporting structure, and can also be supported by a floor (400 in FIG. 2) or other horizontal structure. The horizontal supports are secured to the vertical supports using any number of techniques well-known in this technology. Preferably, the horizontal supports are entirely supported by the connection to the vertical supports. However, the horizontal supports carrying the lowest tier of shelves can also rest upon the floor (400 in FIG. 2) beneath the shelf system. The conventional art includes systems in which the lowest horizontal supports are entirely separate from the underlying floor, as well as those in which the lowest horizontal support is supported by the floor as well as the vertical supports.
It is usual to place a kick plate between the lowest tier of shelves and the floor. This prevents objects from rolling under the shelving, and is particulary useful in keeping the feet of pedestrians and debris from slipping under the shelving causing damage to the shelving, the goods thereon and the pedestrians. Thus, the use of kick plates on the lowest tier of shelving arrangement are essential, especially in areas having high traffic.
In conventional shelving systems the kick plates are rigidly mounted, usually to the lowest shelf and/or the lowest tier of horizontal supports. This arrangement is adequate for keeping the feet of passing pedestrians from becoming entangled underneath the lowest tier of shelving. However, because the kick plates are rigidly mounted, usually with screws, removal of the kick plates can be an awkward and time-consuming process. To facilitate easy removal of kick plates, metal kick plate holders, such as 110 (depicted by the shaded structure in FIG. 4), have been used in conventional shelving systems to hold kick plates, extending to either side of the clip. The metal kick plate holder 110 is formed of opposing S-shaped arms, or other equivalents thereto, and is used to hold the kick plates in a rigid position while permitting removal of the kick plates without recourse to the tools necessary to manipulate bolts and/or screws.
Nonetheless, removal and replacement of the kick plates using the conventional metal kick plate holders are still awkward and time consuming processes. In particular, an individual removing or replacing the kick plates has to move the shelf 300 immediately above the kick plate in order to slide the kick plate up and out of the conventional kick plate holder 110 (in FIGS. 2 and 4). This means that all of the items stored on the shelf must also be removed. Consequently removal and replacement of the kick plate can be a very awkward, time-consuming and irritating process.
Normally, this would not be a problem since in may cases there is often little reason to remove and replace the kick plates on a regular basis. However, the shelves are often made to include perforations therein. Also, there are often gaps between adjacent shelves, as well as gaps between the shelves and the vertical supports, as well as the shelves and the wall upon which the vertical supports may be mounted. As a result, over a period of time, dirt and dust will settle through the perforations and gaps in the shelving system so that the space under the lowest tier of shelves (and behind the kick plates) must be cleaned. Under normal conditions, this situation would not occur very frequently so that the removal and replacement of kick plates would not be an urgent matter.
However, when particulate matter, such as detergent, bird seed, small metal or plastic scrap, grit, coffee, sugar, etc. are being stored on the shelving system, large amounts of debris will accumulate very quickly so that the space around the shelving system must be constantly cleaned. This is particularly urgent when various types of liquid or semi-liquid products are stored on the shelves and are subject to normal spillage occurring when the products are placed on the shelves, removed therefrom or otherwise manipulated. When dealing with liquid or semi-liquid spillage, immediate access to the area beneath the shelves is a necessity since spillage is liable to spread beyond the area of the shelving and constitute a hazard. A situation requiring rapid cleaning beneath the shelving also occurs when the spillage is organic in nature, having a tendency to undergo rapid decay, thereby creating health problems.
The aforementioned spillage situations are best addressed by a kick plate arrangement that can be quickly and easily removed to allow full access to the area beneath the shelving. However, conventional kick plate connection arrangements do not permit a quick, easy removal that facilitates rapid cleaning of the area underneath the shelves.